"So, this Coffee Hut, you perform there often?"
"I do on every odd day of the week until the weekend. You know, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday? That leaves the other four days for us to practice."
"I see. Sorry if I seem a little soft spoken right now."
"It's fine, really."
"So... um how does it feel to have a twin?"
"Well, about that..." I hesitated.
"What about it?"
"I don't have a twin. That was me. I hope you aren't mad?" I took my eyes off the road briefly and looked at him while I slightly clench my teeth together.
"Why did you do it?" he kind of sighed.
"Well, I wanted to see if you really wanted to apologize to me. I'm sorry." I said concentrating on the road.

He looked out the window.

It was quiet for only a few seconds and he spoke again.

"You're sneaky." He said with a slight laugh.
"Only when I get what I want." I laughed back, and then realized the way that I had made that last sentence sound.

There was an awkward silence.

"So um... how are the guys doing?"
"They're fine. You know Ryan really wanted me to apologize to you? Feels like when junior high kids say to their friends: "Will you tell so-in-so that I want to break up with them?" instead of actually doing it themselves. But it's kinda like the opposite in this case."

"Yeah. That's pretty funny if you think about it. I mean, it wasn't that long ago since we were that naive."

He chuckled. "Yeah. It is. How much further until we get there?"
"A little antsy aren't you?" I turned and looked quickly at him.
"I just want to hear you sing I guess. Songs that aren't dedicated to me."
"Oh I am. I was actually figuring that you won't show up so I wanted to play this new song that I just finished but I guess I'll let you listen." I took my right hand from the wheel and poked him in the rib with my index finger and placed my hand back on the steering wheel.
"So you like to poke huh?"
"Sometimes." I slyly smiled.
"I see how you play now."
"Don't you dare do it back to me." I said glancing at him then back at the road.
"Poke, poke, poke." He poked me once and I swerved into the other lane then back.
"Don't poke the driver! You could have gotten us killed!"
"Don't worry, there weren't any cars coming."
"You still shouldn't have poked me back. I could have run into a ditch!"
"I'm sorry but you poked me first and I don't attack unless provoked."
"Well don't poke me again or I'll put you out on the side of the road and let you walk back to the hotel or worse, drop you off at the corner of 3rd and 5th street."
"What's on 3rd and 5th street?"
"That's where all the preppies are and they'll rip your clothes off and possibly you're head too with their : "Lyke, Oh mah gawds and I wanna be Mrs. Urie and have your babies!" I spoke with a valley girl accent.
"You're insane you know that?"
"What, you don't believe me? It's just up ahead. I'll do it."
"No, that's okay."
"I thought so. I would be too if I were you."

Brendon laughed.

God, he has such a cute laugh. It really makes me wish he wasn't dating Audrey.

"What kind of music do you generally listen to?" he said as he looked for button for the radio.
"A little bit of everything. You can turn on the radio if you want to. Or we can listen to one of my cds. They're right here in-between us in this arm rest. I forgot what I all I have in there. I have a lot of burned cds even though it's wrong to do that."
"Turn on your overhead light then."

I flipped on the switch as he started looking though my cds.

"Let's see here... Less Than Jake."
"Yeah, that was before they were added to your label."
"You like the Beatles?" he smirked
"What's wrong with the Beatles?"
"I just figured that you wouldn't like them because of them being an older band."
"I have Queen in there too and some old Metallica and Megadeath and I have a lot of 80's music in there as well. I told you that I like a little bit of everything."
"Nah. It's cool. I was just joking with you. I like a lot of genres too."
"Well Joe's actually isn't that far from where we are now so we only have time for one song."
"I'll just turn on the radio then I guess." He said putting the cds back into the arm rest.

He reached over and turned the radio on and a catchy ska-like tune filled up the car.

"Do you know what song this is Kerri?"
"Hold on and I might tell you."

I listened attentively.

"Well?"
"I think it's Santeria by Sublime... Yeah it is."

I hummed along with it for a few bars.

He giggled at me.

"What?!" I laughed back and I don't know why.

"Nothing." He laughed again.

"Ooo... ooo... this is my favorite part!" I said excitedly.

I turned the volume up.

"Tell Sanchito that if he knows what is good for him
He best go run and hide
Daddy's got a new .45
And I won't think twice
To stick that barrel straight down Sancho's throat
Believe me when I say that I got something for his punk-ass."

We both burst out in laughter and I almost missed my turn into the Coffee Hut parking lot.

"Whoa! Slow down there speed demon...!" he said shocked.
"Sorry. I tend to do that sometimes but we were just having so much fun that I didn't realize that we were here." I said looking for a parking spot.
"It's Friday night so there are a lot of people here. Sometimes it's hard to find a spot. I hate parking far away though."

"It's cool. No biggie."

We found a spot and parked.

"You ready? Prepare to be amazed at my skills."
"Yeah, of course."

He got out of the car as I reached in my back seat for my guitar.

"What are you getting?"
"I'm getting my acoustic. What did you think I was getting?"
"I didn't know."
"Well I told you that I was performing."
"I was just thinking you were gonna sing."
"Nope. C'mon." I said as I shut my door and locked it.

Brendon POV

We walked into the building and it smelled like coffee and smoke.

"I hope you aren't bothered by smoke?" she asked me.
"It's okay. I'll get used to it."
"You better because I don't want to take you all the way back to your hotel and miss my gig."
"I told you it's fine."
"Well you're gonna have to sit tight because it's only 10:30 pm and I don't go on until 11pm. We'll just sit here until then and listen to some poetry." She said pulling a chair up to a nearby table. I did the same right beside her.
"It's cool."

"Our next reading comes from the greater Atlanta area and his name is Mike McGill." Someone, I assume was the owner, on the stage said speaking into the mike as a guy around the age of thirty-something dressed all in black came onto the stage and approached the mike stand.

"This guy looks he's going to a funeral." I whispered sarcastically in her ear in which she elbowed me in the ribs.
"You mind? I'm just trying to listen."
"Whatever floats your boat."
"You're telling me that you've never been to a poetry reading? Well technically this is a poetry slash song set."
"No. I always thought it was going to be boring and I was right."
"Are you going to be bored with me?"
"Of course not. You're gonna be awesome."

"Someone once said if you prick me, do I not bleed and I say: Yes. I trickle out slowly... only to be watched by you...." The thirty-something spoke.
"This is gay."
"Shut up Brendon!" she demanded in a whisper in my ear.

We heard a round of applause and looked to the stage to see this guy leaving.

"Okay. I know it's a little early but some of our guests tonight had something come up so we're going to ask if my favorite customer and our favorite performer Ms. Kerri Cranes will come up to the stage and set up. That is if she's out there?"
"I'm here." She stood up and took her guitar case with her up to the stage.
"Let's give a round of applause to Ms. Cranes."

Everyone clapped as she pulled up a stool and plugged a cord into her guitar.

"Lemme see if this works."

She plucked each string and found that it was slightly out of tune.

"No biggie. I've been tuning this so long that I know what it needs to sound like."

A couple of people giggled.

"Now I know that I told my friend out there tonight that I wouldn't sing anymore songs dedicated to him but I couldn't help it. This was actually written right after I saw his band play early this morning even though one part I just imagined and it never happened. It's called The One That Got Away.

One, two, buckle my shoe

I stood by the exit door of the hotel cafe
He was playing with his band
I've always been a sucker had a weakness for a boy with a guitar and a drink in his hand
His words were like heaven in my hurricane
My knees buckled under
I thought everyone was watching me
Watching you save my life with the song

You were mine
In the back of my mind
Oh just for one night
Just for a while

There's always one that gets away
The one that sneaks up on you that slips away

Two weeks later I was sitting in his apartment
He was making cappuccino
I said what kind of man makes cappuccino
We laughed
We laughed
We laughed
We laughed til tears ran down my face

Oh but my man you're someone else's man
And that ain't the man that I want
But you keep drawing me in with those big brown lyin eyes

You'll always be mine
In the back of my mind
Oh we had a night
Just a little while

There's always one that gets away
The one that sneaks up on you that slips away

In a closed off corner of my heart yes
I'll always see your face
The one that got away
One that got away
The one that got away
The one that got away
Oh the one that got away
The one that got away
Oh the one that got away
The one that got away
Oh the one that got away
Yeah yeah
Oh oh oh oh
Yeah yeah
Oh

I'm not a victim of cliches
I don't believe in soul mates
Happy endings only one
Oh and I met you and all that changed
I had a taste and you're still sitting on the tip of my tongue

You were mine
Somewhere in time
I'll look for you first
In my next life

There's always one that gets away
The one that sneaks up on you that slips away
Slips away
In a closed off corner of my heart yeah yeah yeah yeah
I'll always see your face
The one that got away
The one that got away
The one that got away
The one that got away
Oh the one that got away
The one that got away
Oh the one that got away
The one that got away
The one that got away
Yeah yeah
Oh oh yeah
The one that got away

Everyone applauded.

"Thank you. This next one is a song I've been working on for about a month. I finally perfected it. It's actually about one of my ex's. It's called: Drowning In Sorrow.

I don't know you anymore, I don't recognized your face
Without you here with me, life feels so out of place.
You're gone and I still remember every kiss.

You told me everything would be alright.
Let's not fight, not tonight.
You left me feeling desolate and cold.

I'm holding on with all I've got and I can't keep my grip.
I'm falling further down as your hand begins to slip.
You fucked me over and I can't believe in the calloused way you let me down.
I sink further down into the abyss and I slowly begin to drown.

You brought forth something that I never thought I'd see.
Just how cruel and bleak this world can really be.
You make me shiver and make me scream.

You sent a shock though me in a way I'll never escape.
All you had to say was that you just needed space.
Those moments all meant nothing to you like they did to me.

I'm holding on with all I've got and I can't keep my grip.
I'm falling further down as your hand begins to slip.
You fucked me over and I can't believe in the calloused way you let me down.
I sink further down into the abyss and I slowly begin to drown.

And like a willow, I slowly begin to weep.
The truth is out and it's something you can't keep.
So bury me with what's left of my dignity because
I don't want you to tear up the rest of me.

I don't know you anymore, I don't recognized your face
Without you here with me, life feels so out of place.
You're gone and I still remember every kiss.

I'm holding on with all I've got and I can't keep my grip.
I'm falling further down as your hand begins to slip.
You fucked me over and I can't believe in the calloused way you let me down.
I sink further down into the abyss and I slowly begin to drown.

I slowly begin to drown.

I was the first to stand in giving her a standing ovation. I'm getting this funny feeling in my stomach like I did when I first dated Audrey but this feeling feels stronger. Oh God. I like her. That's what it is. I really like her.

"Thank you all for coming out. Enjoy the rest of your show."

Everyone was whistling and shouting her name.

"Thank you really."

She did a cute little curtsy and rolled her eyes. She unplugged the cord that was plugged into her guitar and began wrapping it back up.

"We want more! We want more!" they cheered.
"I can't. They only let me do two songs tonight. I'd love to but I can't. Thanks for the encouragement though."

The audience sat back down and she put her guitar back in the case and hopped off the stage. She walked over to me.

"We can leave now if you want?"
"If you're done."
"I am."
"It didn't take very long."
"I know but I had to do it."

I scooted my chair in.

"May I walk you to your car now Mademoiselle?"
"Oui, oui Miseur Urie" She giggled.

I stuck my arm out for her to take.

"You are a really sweet person Brendon. I had a great night."
"Yeah. I did as well. Better save this last part of the conversation for when I take you back to your room."
"Okie dokie." She laughed.

We walked back out into the parking lot. She laid her head on my arm and I lay mine head on top hers as we walked thoughtfully back to the car.